Regret
by hamigula
Summary: Bruce regrets the choices that he has made, and tries to stop what he sees as inevitable.
1. Chapter 1

I have never written a story before of any type, and I wanted to write one of my favorite hero. When I think of Batman I go to two episodes 'Harley's Holiday' and 'Heart of Ice'. That is the Batman that I am trying to capture here.

* * *

"Alfred, I do not think that I can do this anymore."

"Master Bruce, to what are you referring sir."

Bruce sat looking across the table struggling with the thoughts that had bothered him for so long now. For a few months the thought that he was failing, he was falling, he was on the outside had been pervading Bruce's very existence. Before he could go any further down this path he chose to ask the question that had been dominating him.

"Alfred, what would my parents think of me? I think back on them and I feel that they would be so disappointed in me. Sure they would see some of the things I have done and be proud, but the totality of me as a man would be a failure to them."

This was the moment Alfred had been dreading for so long. The moment when doubt crept into his ward, no he was so much more than that, the moment when he could help his almost son find the peace and happiness he truly deserved.

"Master Bruce, as you know I have never been the biggest supporter of your extracurricular activities, but I have understood them. I know that everything you have done you truly believe it has been for what you believe to be the best. You have worked these many years for the opportunity to prevent anyone from suffering as you have, and that is the mark of the finest man I have ever had the privilege of knowing."

Bruce leaned forward, placing his hands to his temples in an effort to find the strength to continue.

"Alfred, have I really made any difference in those efforts? Sure I have put some criminals away, but if we were balance the ledger where would the real account lay? Before I started there was no Joker, Poison Ivy, Bane, Riddler, and Penguin. Does the pittance I have been able to accomplish really justify my bringing such people into Gotham at the least and quite possibly into existence? As many times as I catch them and stop them, it is never before they have hurt people, never before they start the cycle anew."

There it was. Alfred knew something had been eating away at Master Bruce for months now, but had been unable to draw it out until tonight. For the first time in many years Alfred was unsure of how to proceed. He knew that he was walking into a minefield and that one wrong step could destroy everything. How to proceed, point out that Master Bruce had been there to take in Dick, Jason, and Tim? That could work, or it could open up the guild of Jason's death, and the fears that he had taken Dick and Tim and molded them into weapons in his own personal image. What about the founding of the League?

"Master Bruce, what about all of the good you were able to accomplish as one of the founders of Justice League, how you were able to take people that were used to working as individuals and focusing them as a team. Sir, in my opinion you have above all else have become the very soul of the League, guiding them onto a path towards goodness."

Alfred saw the look on Master Bruce's face and instantly knew that he had made the wrong choice. Though he could not understand why, he knew that Bruce had as close a friendship as he could have in Clark. He knew that Bruce had become close to John, Wally, Jonn, and Shayera. He also knew of the caring and tempest that raged in his master for Diana. Why had this presented itself in such a fashion? He did not know, but he knew he had to address it quickly.

Before Alfred could speak, Bruce began to.

"The Justice League, what a great idea that was. Alfred do you know that almost every time we encounter an alternate version of the League that they have taken control of their worlds, or are criminals beyond anything we have? Look at the reality of the situation; I have helped to create an organization where two of the founders are immortals. Forget the fact that they have the most physical power, how replete is history with examples of what happens with people too much power lose contact with the things that ground them, keep them human. And what do I do, in a move of sheer brilliance I help these people become friends and isolate themselves from the very people they are sworn to protect. Then to top it all off I help place them in a golden tower looking down on humanity."

There it was, Alfred thought. Master Bruce is afraid he has helped to create one of the things he has dedicated his entire life to helping to prevent. The powerful lording themselves over others. Alfred saw his misstep, but saw no way to proceed forward without causing further harm. So he did the only thing he could think to do, sit silently and wait for a path to avail itself.

"Alfred what do you think would happen if I quit?"

"Sir, quitting the League?"

"No, if I quit being Batman."


	2. Chapter 2 - Meeting

Thank you, hopefully you will enjoy the continuation.

* * *

The Founders meeting began, and as it had been for the past six months, Batman was not present.

While the discussion wound its way through the different conflicts and rescues the League had been through over the past month, Wally could not help but focus on the empty seat.

"How long do we have to do this until someone says something?" he silently thought. No one seemed to know why Batman had quit coming to the meetings, but it was more than that. Wally though back to the first meeting that Batman had missed. He had gone to see Batman after the second meeting he had missed. He had teleported into the cave and saw Batman sitting before his computers. "Fat lot of good that did", he thought as he reminisced. "Ten minutes I spoke to him, and he didn't even say a word. I walked up to him and stood right by his chair and he never even looked away from the screen. Even when he had spun the chair to face him, expecting anger, a punch; but all Batman had done was turn himself back to the screen and resume working without even a flinch."

"So unless there is any other business to attend this meeting is adjourned", said Superman.

At that point Wally snapped, he just couldn't take it anymore.

"I know what I tried" he said almost on the verge of shouting while pointing at the empty chair. "I went down to talk to him. To find what had happened, to find anything." He looked around the room and took in the reactions. No one made a move to respond, so he decided to continue. "What did I get, nothing, no lecture on showing up unannounced, no anger, nothing. Even when I turned him to face me, he was a blank slate, like I wasn't even there at all. Why?"

Superman was the first to speak. "Wally, I wished I knew. Bruce has rebuffed every effort I have made to see him or speak to him whether as Superman or as Clark." Rebuffed was not the entire truth, as Clark thought back to the charity ball he had gone to three months ago that Bruce had been throwing. Bruce had seemed fine as he observed him from the far side of the ballroom, and then Bruce had spotted him. Without a word, without even acknowledging the people he had been speaking to, Bruce had just turned and walked out of the ball. It continued to rub Clark wrong; Bruce had never run from anything in the time that he had known him. Yet now he avoided the League fastidiously.

Jonn interrupted Superman's thoughts by saying "While Bruce has always been more closed and guarded than most, the last time I encountered him here on the station he was almost a black hole. It was almost as though he was not even there, when I reached out to him the only thoughts I got back were of nothing. Literal nothing, Batman just standing in the middle of an empty field of snow for as far as the eye could see in all directions."

Shayera stood to leave; she could not stand to hear this any longer. She found her own thoughts drifting back to the Thanagarian invasion and the vote that had taken place before her resignation. In the end Wally had caved in and told her about the vote and count, though not how each individual had voted. Even though she had never asked she had known that Batman had voted in her favor. He had always shown faith and trust in her, even when her own had failed. Now walking out of the meeting room she did not know how to repay him.

With that no one else said a word slowly getting up and leaving the meeting, until Diana sat alone at the table. She allowed her own thoughts to wander on this man that had been so confounding to her. She thought back to two of them alone on a rooftop overlooking a club with happy couples leaving, while waiting for a break in to occur. She thought of the conversation they had, and the reasons that he had told her it was bad idea to consider any romantic involvement with each other. She then thought of how he had said nothing when John and Shayera had first become involved, and later John with Mari. What of Dinah and Ollie, Bruce had said nothing of their involvement either. Why did he single only them, her, out? Then to top it off when she did finally move on from him, as soon as the League had seem her and Kal kiss Batman had virtually disappeared. Why? Bruce made it plain that he did not want her, and so she moved on, and at the first sign that she found happiness with another, he quits. That did not seem like the Bruce that she had known, but over the past year she had found herself wondering how much she truly knew him at all. She found herself going back to a story Dick had told her some time ago.

"You see we had been chasing her all night, and as she is getting away she drops Veronica into my arms, so Batman goes after her alone. I followed as quickly as I could and when I get close enough to see, she is going after Batman like, well like a crazy woman. In something I have seen him do before Batman doesn't fight back in any fashion, he just avoids every attack. Then she goes over the side and he grabs her to save her, but in that moment I saw something different. He had gentleness, a sincere concern for this crazy woman that has tried to kill us more times that I can count. So just like that we take her back to Arkham, and out from his cape he pulls this dress out. Turns out it was the dress she had bought earlier in the day that started this whole incident. She asks him why he was so nice to her, believing in her when no one else did. He looks at her and with as much heart and emotion as I have ever heard from him says "I had a bad day too, once". Then we leave her there, and to this day he has never said a thing about it, even though we have had to take her down so many times since then."

Diana had asked Dick why he had told her the story at the time. He had merely smiled and walked away and said something about eyes wide open.

Diana did not understand what was going on. But she knew it was tearing the League apart, and so she decided to do what she knew she should have done months earlier.


	3. Chapter 3 - Library

Well I hope the it continues to appeal to you.

* * *

Alfred moved to answer the door.

"Your Majesty, I am glad to see you as ever."

"Thank you Alfred, is Bruce here I would like to speak to him," Diana said.

"Your Majesty I will be happy to take you to him," Alfred replied. He debated telling her about the conversation from three days ago, but he knew if he did he would find it hard to explain how Master Bruce had not said a single word since then. Bruce had merely moved between his bedroom and the library, reading books all day, eating and drinking whatever Alfred put before him. Bruce had not made eye contact with him one time, or even given any indication that he noticed anything the book he reading, or the bed he was sleeping in.

Alfred opened the door to the library and ushered in the Princess.

"Good luck" he whispered to her as he left.

Diana noticed that Bruce had not even looked up from the book he was reading, and as she approached him, he appeared to be entirely unaware of her presence. This was something she had not expected, as in all of her times in dealing with both Bruce and Batman; both of them seemed to have an almost otherworldly alertness. After deciding that Bruce was not going to acknowledge her let alone invite her to sit down, Diana took a seat on the couch directly opposite from his chair.

"Bruce" she began, "I do not know what is going on, or why you are avoiding everyone, but I would really like to talk you."

No movement beyond a gentle rise in his chest that acknowledged the presence of life.

"Please, even in darkest of times we have been able to talk to each other."

Nothing.

"Do not do this Bruce, we can help you, I will help you, whatever it is we can get through it together."

Bruce surprised her by looking up at her. In his eyes she saw something that she had never seen before, emptiness. He then resumed his book.

Before she could anything else, Bruce slammed the book closed, set it on the table next to him and stood, beginning to leave the room. When he got the door he did not look back at her, but she clearly heard him say "I lied to you, I would like you to leave now."

"Bruce wait," she shouted running after him. He never broke stride or acknowledged that she had said anything at all, so she did the only thing she think of. As she grabbed his shoulder she spun him towards her. From the past she knew this would result in a dressing down, if not an impromptu sparring session, and as she braced herself for it, she was amazed that he simply turned from her and began walking away again.

This time she let him leave, but she knew this was neither Bruce Wayne nor Batman.

Almost out of thin air Alfred materialized behind her.

"I take it that your visit did not go well your Majesty?" It seemed that Alfred did not even have the strength to ask the question, merely laying it out to break the chill that seemed to sweep the hallway.

"Alfred please tell me what is going on," pleaded Diana.

"I wish I knew your Majesty," Alfred began, while leading her back to the entryway. He then made the decision to tell her everything.

"And after that conversation Master Bruce has done nothing but come to the library and read 'Il Principe' every day for three days straight. He has not said a word, has not gone on patrol or even into the cave. He merely takes what I bring to him, reads, and sleeps." Alfred said.

Diana saw the pensive look on his face and heard the trepidation in his voice.

She could only bring herself to ask one question, "So he has quit?"

Alfred looked at her, and not knowing what to say, and fearful of making the situation worse he chose to say "It was lovely to see you again your Majesty, and I certainly hope that you will brighten the manor again". Then he gently closed the door.

Diana reached to trigger the communicator, "Shayera please transport me back to the Watchtower and tell the founding members we need to meet immediately."


	4. Chapter 4 - Outreach

No one spoke, but it was more than that, no one knew what to say even if they wanted to speak. Diana had just replayed her visit with Alfred and Bruce.

Shayera finally broke the silence, by asking "What is 'Il Principe'?"

John responded "It translates as 'The Prince' and it is a book written by Nicolo Machiavelli, it basically advocates the ends justifying the means."

Superman was the next to speak. "Does anyone have any ideas?"

No one had the ability to look him in the eye, no one spoke.

Wally felt the air in the room move. "Funny he thought I don't know if I have ever moved slowly enough before to notice that. I should say something, but what?"

In the incredible quiet everyone was able to hear Flash's communicator chirp.

"Flash here."

"I see, well I will be there in slightly more time than it takes the transporter to get me down to you."

Flash looked around the room, unsure of how to proceed he blurted out, "That was Batman and he wants to see me in the cave now."

Before anyone could say anything he was gone.


	5. Chapter 5 - Capture

"Thank you for coming Wally."

Wally took the sight in, it was almost déjà vu. Bruce was sitting in the same manner, the same chair, and with the same expression on his face. The only thing different was that he was sitting in a suit versus sitting there as Batman.

"Anytime Batman, we are a team you know."

"No we are not, we were never a team. I was merely an accompanying artist, and now I need to be on my own again."

Wally felt like he had just been punched. How was this even possible, how could Batman give up on the League? Bruce continued on.

"Wally I need to ask you something, and I need you to be totally honest with me."

"Sure Bruce."

"What if you knew something bad was going to happen? What if you knew how to stop it, but stopping it would require you to hurt all of the people that you care about? What if stopping it meant killing your soul, your only chance at happiness? What would you do?"

Wally's mouth fell open. These were the types of questions that he thought Bruce would discuss with any of the founders other than him. Before he could stop himself he said it. "Batman, of all people why are you asking me this?"

Wally thought he had been amazed before, but Bruce's response absolutely threatened to knock him down.

"Of all of the founding members, you were always the most human. You had the most relatability to the people we swore to protect. Look at the situation, three aliens, an Amazonian Princess, a man tasked as the guardian of our sector, and me. Of all of us you are the most human."

Wally did not know how to respond, so he sat down in the chair nearby. After a moment to gather his thoughts he began.

"Bruce, I don't know what is going on, but I know I trust you. While you may say I am the most human, you are the only one that fights without any powers or abilities, just your skill. It's easy for the other six of us to say that we don't kill people; we all have the power to overcome that type of thing. I mean Superman and Wonder Woman are probably the two strongest people on the planet. Jonn is a mind reader and shape shifter. John has a ring with the power of will, and Shayera is a flying alien badass with a mace that stops anything. Everyone but you does this because we can, but you; you are a hero because you want it. It is easy for Superman, Wonder Woman, and me to be heroes. In us you are talking about some of the strongest and fastest people around, but without any of those powers or abilities, show yourself to be every bit as much as us."

Wally paused noting that Bruce had not reacted in any fashion to anything he said.

"Bruce whatever this is, you don't have to face it alone, we can face it as a team, let us help you."

Bruce looked at Wally, directly in the eye for the first time he responded.

"Thank you Wally and I am sorry."

"Sorry for …."with that the chair that Wally sat in latched onto him and sent an electrical current through him that instantly knocked him out.

Bruce moved quickly, he knew he had to attach the machines and get him moved in mere minutes as the shock would not be enough to hold him unconscious for long. Quickly the leads were attached to monitor the brainwaves and heart rate of Wally, and he was wheeled into the room lined with lead and filled with the many kryptonite artifacts and pieces he had collected through the years. Bruce knew that he would be able to keep him safe in here until such time as he had done what had to be done.

With that done he removed Wally's communicator and walked out to get dressed one final time.


	6. Chapter 6 - Begin

"Batman to Watchtower, please transport me up."

With that Batman was transported onto the Watchtower by Jonn, exactly as he had planned.

Jonn could sense the calm in Bruce as soon as he materialized directly in front of him.

_My friend it is so good to see you again, _Jonn thought.

_I am sorry that things have been so off and wrong Jonn, but there were some things I needed to sort out before I could come back up here and be a part of the team._

_How come Wally did not come back up with you?_

Before Jonn could even react Batman reached out to inject him and he collapsed to the floor before being able to warn anyone.


	7. Chapter 7 - Confrontation

For months he had wrote the programs that would allow him to get everyone off of the tower in one swoop. He could not afford anyone but the three of them to be left behind. As he uploaded the program he began to doubt his purpose. What if he was wrong, what it if did not mean what he thought it did. What if this was the one place where the scenario played out differently. He shook his head, and silently cursed himself for being weak. He knew it would end up the same, he had looked at the math, even gone so far as to peek into alternate universes, and it always ended the same.

With that the programs were uploaded and everyone but Superman, Wonder Woman, and Batman was returned to the surface.

Superman and Wonder Woman had been sitting with Green Arrow and Black Canary in the commissary, having a light snack when suddenly Arrow and Canary were gone. A quick glance by Diana revealed that she and Kal were the only to left in the eatery.

"Superman to Green Arrow", Kal quickly sent over the communicator.

"Arrow here, Canary and I are back on Earth and we are fine. What happened?"

Before Superman could respond, Batman came over everyone's communicator.

"This is Batman, the Watchtower is under emergency quarantine, please make no attempt to return."

Superman and Wonder Woman turned to face each other knowing that whatever had affected Bruce, this was the situation brought to a head.

With that Batman stepped into the commissary on the far side.

"Bruce what are you doing?" Clark was quick to ask.

"I know you will not believe this, but I am doing what must be done. I am sorry that it comes to this, but I cannot allow the two of you to continue."

"Bruce have you gone insane?" Diana asked "You cannot allow us to continue what does that even mean?"

"I will explain everything but first let us sit down so that we can be comfortable at least." With that Bruce reached up and pulled his cowl off of his head, returning his arms into his cape and using it almost to shield himself.

As all three sat down the look of pain and agony on Bruce's face was transparent. Bruce brought his arms out from his cape and placed them on the table, but his fists were balled so tight that it is a miracle he is not cutting off blood flow, Diana thought.

"I want to apologize for everything Clark, please forgive me."

"Bruce….." he began to reply while Bruce lifted his hands off of the table and opened his fists before blowing over them directly into Clark's face.

Superman immediately collapsed, Diana jumped to his side "Kal, what has he done to you."

"Diana, please" Bruce began "return to your seat and I will explain everything, and will get Clark the help he needs before things get too bad."

"What did you do to him," Diana growled.

"Powdered kryptonite, blown directly into his face while he was inhaling. He took it directly into his lungs causing him to pass out. It is not enough to harm him, merely enough to incapacitate him for five minutes or so."

"Bruce why", Diana stammered. "He was your best friend, and I know it hurt you that you saw the kiss, but are you really so self-absorbed that you would hurt him over it."

"Diana I would have been happy if you chose to be with anyone but him, and if I did not know what would happen, I would have been happy for the both of you. But answer me this, what happens with the two of you, both immortal, in love looking down on Earth, from your gilded tower. Do you even know Princess, because I can assure you it is nothing good. I have looked at it over and over, watched it end the same time after time. I will not allow that to happen while I can do anything about it."

"So your solution in to incapacitate Kal, and then what? Kill me."

"Diana, I would kill myself before I would allow harm to come to you. I am not here to hurt you, merely to talk to you and let you know everything. Then I will do exactly what is needed to help Clark recover and I will leave, or let you take me into custody, or whatever you want at that time." Bruce paused, and Diana looked into his eyes, expecting to see the same emptiness she had seen earlier.

Bruce's eyes were filled with love and compassion, and she knew that she believed him.

"Diana do you remember when you asked me why it would not work out between us and I gave you the reasons."

"Of course I do", Diana retorted harshly. The thought then occurred to her that she now knew what he meant when he had told her he lied.

"Well those reasons were lies. They served the purpose well enough at the time, but given the state of things I wanted to come clean now. The truth is that I have loved you since I saw you the first time, and I would do anything to protect you and be with you, but that is not possible. That is the real reason that I lied to you."

Diana frowned as though trying to make sense of the situation, trying to figure out where he was going with this. Was he trying to dredge up the past?

"Bruce, please know those feelings are gone now and I have moved on."

"I know, and that is what I wanted or at least what I thought I wanted."

"Wait so you get me to do what you want and then you attack the person I move on with, you selfish…" Diana said while beginning to rise.

"Diana please sit down, that is not what this is at all. When I tried to get you to move on from me, the real reason is because I could not bear to do to you what was done to me."

"Bruce that doesn't even make sense" Diana said trying to figure out where this was going.

"Diana you know what led to me becoming Batman was the death of my parents, the feeling that I had failed and that I wanted to protect others from the soul crushing pain that I felt."

"Bruce of course I know that," Diana replied softly.

"Well what happens if you and I became a couple, had children, and had any type of real relationship. You would watch me grow old and die, watch our children grow old and die. You would be left all alone, living forever with the knowledge of your love gone. For all these many years it almost killed me, but I kept going and fighting."

Diana began to weep softly at hearing this "Bruce if that would have happened we would have had time together, that is all that would have mattered to me."

Looking at the tears running down her face, Bruce steeled himself for what still needed to be done, and the knowledge that Clark was still unconscious.

"Diana I have spent my whole life trying to stop other from being in pain. I will not allow any situation where the woman I love can feel it because of my weakness."

"Bruce I…." Diana stammered, tears intensifying.

"And I know you moved on, and I was happy for you, until I realized it was with Clark. Not because Clark is wrong for you, but because you two are wrong for each other. If the two of you stay together then you will create what we fought so hard against with the Justice Lords. Think about it, the two of you living forever, slowly losing track of everyone who kept you close to humanity. It may take years, decades, even centuries, but it will happen. And as much as I love you, I cannot let that happen."

Diana was unsure of what to say or do. Bruce loved her and even though she moved on it made her felt like soaring to hear that. He was also attacking Kal and her for doing something that they had not done, and she knew they would never do. How do you convince someone that you will not do something?

"So what happens now Bruce?"

"I would like to give you a few things, then with your permission I will end this and the two of you will be free to go."

Diana, untrusting of herself to speak, merely nodded her acceptance.

Batman reached under his cape and pulled out an envelope and a flash drive. Holding them in his hand he looked down at them in a fashion that made her think he was unsure about what he was doing before placing them on the table in front of her.

"Princess, please give this envelope to Alfred. Tell him that I hope it answers all of his questions and troubles that I have caused him over the last year. " Bruce paused while looking at her, almost searching her face.

"The flash drive is for you. I would just ask that you watch it in private first, after that anything you choose to do with its contents is entirely up to you."

With that Bruce strode gently around the table until he was standing next to her. With a touch that was barely there he reached for Diana's hands slowly pulled her to her feet. Picking up the letter and drive from the table he placed them in her hand and slowly brought his eyes to meet her own.

"Diana, I have done so many things wrong, things with you, things with Clark, things with the world. I do not know how to fix them anymore, but I am going to take this path in the hope that I can at least make a better future for everyone, and while that will not absolve my sins, it does lift my heart."

Diana stood silently trying to absorb this, this man who stood before her, talking to her, but was someone that she had clearly never met before. Then she saw it, the one act that gave her an indication of what Bruce's final objective was in this plan, a single tear rolling down his cheek.

Bruce knew he had to act quickly, before he lost his resolve. He knew that this was the moment in his plan where he would be at his weakest point. Before he could give himself the opportunity to surrender to his desires, Bruce grabbed Diana, and pulled her in for a kiss.

Diana was shocked when he grabbed, and almost floored when he kissed her. She could not understand any of what Bruce was doing, and it was driving her crazy. To add to the fire she could feel the things that she thought were long gone returning to her, wanting her to preserve this moment, this man forever. And in that instant it was over.

Bruce quickly pulled away from her, looking at her with the vaguest hint of a smile, he said "Princess, I love you with all of my heart and every fiber of my being. I have loved you since I first saw you, and I will love you always. May your Gods watch over you and keep you safe for all time."

As Diana reached for Bruce, she wanted to tell him that there was an opportunity for them to try again. In that split second before she touched him, she felt the familiar pull of the transporter.


	8. Chapter 8 - Recovery

Erica - Thank you for the kind words. I can tell you that the story already has an ending, that has already been written. I hope that you enjoy it, when we get there of course.

* * *

Diana emerged with Kal at a WayneTech medical facility. The staff immediately gathered Superman up and onto a bed. With a flurry of activity they began attaching him to a respirator.

Diana moved to stop them when an elderly gentleman stood before her.

With great deliberateness he began. "Wonder Woman, they are merely working to revive Superman. For several weeks now these staff members have rehearsed on a sudden attack on Superman."

As Diana looked at the man, she was torn. It was clear that the man and his staff were calm and ready for this situation, but what if? Then she saw the respirator, and the staff placing the mask on Kal. With that she realized that she needed an immediate way to get back to the tower.

With that knowledge she quickly flew out of the room, intent on finding a way back to the Tower to confront Bruce on what happened. Just as she exited the facility she saw the in the sky, a flash that she knew could only be the Watchtower exploding.

Diana stopped in midflight, falling to the ground the question, the only one that mattered came to her. Did Bruce get out?

Not knowing what else to do she picked herself up and slowly made her way back to Kal. She knew that he would be alright, for all Bruce's fault he had never been less than honest with her. "No she thought, that is not true, he just admitted to lying to you. He just admitted to denying every chance at being with you out of fear." With that thought the tears began to flow freely. "Fear, not fear of himself, of loving me, but fear that he would do to me, what was done to him so many years ago." No Kal would be fine, but she knew they could not be together.

Approaching the bed, Superman was already conscious. She could see the look in his eyes, the look that implored her to explain what happened. The look that begged her to tell him the one man that he thought of as a friend had not attacked him and sent him away, weak and vulnerable. What could she tell him? The truth, that Bruce had been afraid that she and Kal would work together and take over the world. That Bruce had been so afraid that in one moment he had bared his soul to her, before sending her away and killing himself. She now knew that Bruce had stayed on the tower during the explosion, it would be the one way to show her how resolved he was, how much he believed that what had thought would come to pass could not be allowed. The one way that he could show her the depth of his love for her.

"Wonder Woman where is Batman? What did he do to me? Where are we and who are these people?"

Before Diana could respond, an elderly gentleman stepped to the opposite side of the bed and spoke. "Mr. Superman I can help with the last part of the question." Being allowed to continue the man said "You are at a WayneTech facility and this is my team. Several weeks ago Mr. Wayne and Mr. Fox asked me to put together a team to be here in this room at this time. The only thing he told me at the time was that we would receive the two of you, and that you would be unconscious. Mr. Wayne told me that we would need to get you into this mask and attach this vial to it while pumping you with almost pure oxygen. He told me that you would almost instantly recover and that we should check you, but that there would be no lasting effects on you."

Superman looked slowly from the gentleman to Diana and back again. He could see the pain and puffiness in Diana's face, the blind faith in the man's. "Did Mr. Wayne tell you what would be wrong with me?"

The man merely nodded in the negative.

In that instant Diana made up her mind, she would tell no one what happened on the tower. She would tell Kal, she would tell them all, well she did not know what she would tell them, but she knew what she would not say.


	9. Chapter 9 - Awakening

Dinasis - Thank you, I am glad you enjoy the story, and hope you continue to do so.

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Flash came to in an instant and looked around. "What the heck happened, and where am I?" As the objects in the room began to come into focus, he realized that he was still trapped in the chair.

"Hello" he said.

In that instant a television turned on directly in front of him, and Bruce appeared on the screen.

"Wally, I am truly sorry about that, but I needed you to be here and to hear this without distraction. When this video finishes the chair will unlock and the door will open and you will be free. When you walk out the door, I will be gone, and I am giving you all of the contents of this room, entrusting you to do what is right should the time ever come."

Now that Wally could see clearly he saw all items of all sorts, from plain pieces of rock, to intricately carved dragon and spears, all the same green glowing material, kryptonite.

"I am sorry that I am placing such a heavy burden on you, but there is no else. Please do not let all I have done to prevent the storm have been in vain."

"No one else", Wally thought. "John would have made a far better guardian of this than me. And what does he mean there is no one else."

With that the video ended and television went black again. As Bruce has said the chair unlatched and the door opened. Wary of anything else happening, Wally chose to go through the door slowly only emerge into the cave, the cave fully lit and totally empty of anyone else. The door softly closed behind him and he looked over his shoulder to see the glowing Flash logo on a hand scanner. Taped to bottom of the scanner was a note.

As Wally read the note he could not understand why Bruce was asking him to do this.


	10. Chapter 10- The Letter

Diana stood at the door dreading what she had come to do. How could she give him the letter, what should she say? Was there anything to say? How do you tell the surrogate father, that his son had died to show how much he loved her? Died to show her a path, a path that she knew she must walk down alone.

In the midst of her thoughts the door opened, Alfred standing there looking as though he knew, as though he could read her.

With the tears threatening to return she slowly held out the letter for the kindly man.

"Your Majesty I must insist that you come in. If that letter is what I believe then I know there will be parts of it for you."

Diana hesitated, should she tell him about the drive; about how she had not even looked at it yet for fear of what it would show her? Slowly she nodded her acceptance and followed him inside.

Alfred led her to the small table in the kitchen, pulling out a chair for her, waiting for her to sit, before he sat himself. With deep forlorn he opened the letter and began to read.

_Alfred, I am so sorry for what I have done to you. I know that there is nothing I can say to right the pain I have caused to you in these last months. Just know that I chose this path, chose it knowing that the greatest man I have ever known would have done no less. When I asked you what my parents would have thought of me, I asked the wrong question. I do not believe that either of them would be upset with me for asking what you thought of me. For while I am their son, it is you that made me into the man I am. You showed me that in the face of all adversity a man must always do what is right. I hope I have done that, and I hope I have made you proud._

_I am sorry, but I must make two more requests of you. First, please do all that you can to insure that Dick and Tim do not follow me into living half of a life. Please help them to learn the lesson I only recently learned, there is so much more to life than vengeance. There is happiness and love, there are people that care, and if you let them will care about you forever._

_I know that is how I failed my parents. I allowed the memory of their death to haunt me all of these years. I realize now that is not what they would have wanted. They would have wanted a son that would grow up and embrace live and love as they embraced it and each other._

_The second thing I ask is that you take care of Diana. She will blame herself for this, and she will hate me. I wish I could do something to change that, but I cannot. You knew so long of my feelings for her, and you did everything you could to help me realize that I could have been happy with her. You are right, I would have been, and I have only myself to blame for failing. Please do not allow what I have done to cause her to follow my path in darkness. Her mother is right she is the sun and stars, and her light allowed me to realize happiness in the end._

_Your loving son,_

_Bruce_

Diana could barely look at Alfred as he finished, the tears that had threatened earlier were now freely streaming down both of their faces. In an agonizing moment they both stood from the table and embraced, each leaning on the other for support.


	11. Chapter 11 - Crumpets and Flowers

Thank you to those that reviewed and enjoyed this story. The truth is I sat and wrote this in one night after reading some of the stories here, and after seeing the direction that DC was taking Wonder Woman and Superman.

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One year after the explosion of the Watchtower

In returning to her apartment Diana decided that she was finally ready to see what was on the drive. She vowed that as soon as she was changed she would plug it into her computer and find out what Bruce had left for her.

She knew nothing would change; she had broken of her relationship with Kal, the two of them returning to their friendship. She had watched as Nightwing had all but retired from his role. Time was doing Tim well as he would occasionally ask to accompany her, some nights as Robin, some days as the young man that well on his way to a much different and happier life. She spent many a night in the company of Alfred, what had begun as painful memories of Bruce, had turned into an almost familial relationship of love and concern.

As she opened the door and walked into her home she immediately noticed the sweet odor. There sitting on the table was a fresh cutting of mountain laurel and violets.

Alfred decided that today was a perfect day to take a drive. When the evening began to come in he decided to stop at a small roadside diner, and have a bite to eat before returning home. As he sat and ate he thought about how it had all happened. How he wished true love would have conquered all in the end. When the waitress returned he asked that she bring him a small dessert, before he excused himself to use the facilities.

Upon returning to the table he immediately noticed the tea and crumpet waiting for him. As he sat down he felt his phone vibrate. Looking at it he saw the picture of the fresh flowers from Ms. Diana. A wry smile threatened the corners of mouth.

"Maybe I was wrong", he said aloud.


End file.
